


Where Did You Go? (i've been searching high and low)

by orphan_account



Category: Star Wars - All Media Types, Star Wars: The Clone Wars (2008) - All Media Types
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Amnesia, Crack Pairing but with deep serious themes, Death Watch (Star Wars), Emotional Manipulation, Episode: s04e13 Escape From Kadavo, Fluff and Angst, Force Ghost(s), Identity Issues, Implied/Referenced Suicide, Mandalorian Culture, Multi, Politics, Pong Krell's creepy force ghost, Presumed Dead, Rare Pairings, Rex the Mandalorian, Self-Hatred, Slavery, This Is Not Going To Go The Way You Think, Zabrak Culture, also I think the Zabrak/clone dynamic is interesting, listen: quarantine has melted my brain and I only live in rare pair hell now
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-09-08
Updated: 2020-10-08
Packaged: 2021-03-06 21:55:25
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 5
Words: 12,599
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26366053
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/orphan_account/pseuds/orphan_account
Summary: He doesn't remember much, not even his own name, what he does remember is only enough to make a warped jigsaw image. All he knows is that he's lucky that the two mostly benevolent Zabrak found him floating in space before his oxygen ran out after an attack that left him stranded in the sucking void.The Besalisk that no one else seems to see tells him that the Jedi enslaved him, he believes him.The story of how after being sold from Kadavo, the transport ship Rex is on gets attacked and he loses all of his memory.The story of how he becomes the ruling power of Mandalore and tries his best to not become infatuated with the tall, dark Zabrak that saved him.Updates Putting a bit of a pause on this one until I progress more on the other fics so until further notice this is on a HIATUS.
Relationships: Bo-Katan Kryze & Satine Kryze, CC-2224 | Cody & CT-7567 | Rex, CC-2224 | Cody/Bo-Katan Kryze, CC-2224 | Cody/Obi-Wan Kenobi, CC-2224 | Cody/Obi-Wan Kenobi/Satine Kryze, CT-7567 | Rex & Ahsoka Tano, CT-7567 | Rex & Anakin Skywalker, Darth Maul & CT-7567 | Rex, Darth Maul & Savage Opress, Darth Maul/Gar Saxon, Obi-Wan Kenobi/Satine Kryze, Padmé Amidala/Anakin Skywalker, Savage Opress/CT-7567 | Rex
Comments: 19
Kudos: 51





	1. The Jedi Made Me A Slave

**Author's Note:**

> Ya know, well I don't know. Lot's of wips have been coming out my hell hole account but I am working on my other fics I promise! I just started a new job so each fanfic may just only get one update a week instead of two, I will have to get settled into work first!
> 
> Also brief warning for mention of suicidal thoughts and slavery.

If he listens close enough, he can hear Krell laugh from the shadows of the processing plant. Mocking him, hounding him relentlessly for how pathetic he think his existence is, a mindless droid that was wrapped in flesh, such a crime against human nature the he is living the life he truly deserves, slaving away until he collapses.

If Rex stares at the shadows long enough, he can see the dead Sith wanna-be start climbing out of the dark corners to join him in the mines. Rex has hated the dark ever since Umbara, it weighs heavily on his skin and makes him feel ill, like having a hand reach into his chest and crush his heart. He barely had any time to mourn with him men, too make sure that they would be okay. Barely half a ten-day before they were scooped up and sent to Kiros to recon the plant after a colony had performed a vanishing act.

It was hardly surprising, the last thing Governor Roshti had said was that he was going to speak to Count Dooku about allying the planet with the Separatists. He tries not to hate the misguided leader too badly as he shovels coal and dirt endlessly into the carts. The carts that only travel a few meters before they topple over and spill all the contents, forcing them to repeat the process.

Krell whispers that he should hate the poor boy working next to him looking only whisper away from death, snap at him for looking at him with his big scared blue eyes. Despise him for being weak (he is a child, barely the age Ahsoka is now). Abhor him for making him carry the heavy lifting of the job, so that the guards didn’t notice them lagging and decide to incentivize them with their whips again.

_Pathetic_

He works harder and ignores how Krell whispers in his ear, he ignores how his thoughts start sounding like the fallen Jedi. He ignores how sick it makes him. He works harder, forces himself to think of it as the last qualifier to get into ARC training. Obi-Wan wouldn’t survive another death thrown at his feet, it would break the man forever to see the skinny green and grey Togruta thrown at him, limp and lifeless.

_Jedi always make things worse._

The Jedi who loved too much didn’t deserve such harsh words thrown at him, but fear and anger made people do and say things they don’t mean in the heat of a moment. Roshti is an elderly man who probably hasn’t seen violence in years _or at all_ , he couldn’t blame him for lashing out under such duress.

Krell hovers in the shadows whispered that Obi-Wan deserves every outburst and cruel insult thrown at him. He has failed as a Jedi and had been oblivious to Krell’s malicious intent. All those dead and injured soldiers would’ve made it off planet if he hadn’t encouraged and complimented Krell so much, if he or even _Skywalker_ had paid closer attention.

 _“Waxer would still be alive if he recognized what I was sooner, if Skywalker had even a lick of loyalty to you why did he run the moment the Chancellor called him. The Jedi don’t care for you clone, these Togruta will barely acknowledge your existence once this is done, that is, if you ever mange to save them. Why waste your life slaving away for those that will not care?”_ Krell hisses as sits on the cart above him, he has a smoking black hole in the middle of his chest and his eyes burn yellow with hatred.

The fumes are making him crazy, he knows the Jedi owe him nothing. It’s war, people die, _still_. He just wishes that maybe he had more time to talk to the Jedi, maybe make them understand. There is a lot they keep hidden from them, even as they’ve told them so much and brought them into the fold. Thoughts and feelings that would seem treasonous at best. Things they couldn’t vocalize. Anakin and Ahsoka probably would be ruined if he vocalized that he felt like an expandable slave in a war he doesn’t believe in anymore, and they that held the key to his imprisonment.

Obi-Wan must be coming to some kind of conclusion that runs parallel to the way Rex has been thinking with the way he keeps shooting Rex guilty looks. Guilty for the situation they’ve brough him into or guilty for his pitiful existence, he doesn’t know.

“ _His compassion for you is fabricated, he only feels guilty because he’s required too. He still uses your brothers on the battlefield, if he really did care then he would’ve given you each the choice to fight or to live free.”_ Krell says again as he leans closer to Rex, he can almost feel his hot breath ghost over his face and he shudders.

“Why are you even here. You’re dead.” Rex whispers harshly.

“ _CT-7567, you are more naïve than you appear, you should know that for a Jedi death is never the end.”_ Krell says with a laugh as he dissolves and mixes with the heavy smoke in the air.

“You were never a Jedi.” Rex mutters under his breath.

A whip unexpectedly cracks across his back and he shouts in agony, dropping his shovel and collapsing into the pile of coal in front of him. The blows come hard and fast after the first one.

Once they stop he takes several gasping breaths as he tries to unlock the muscles of his back. Electricity runs viciously through his nervous system and he’s tempted to just lay there and let it kill him.

He's tired and they’ve been here for weeks, no rescue is coming. Anakin and Ahsoka are probably dead or lost to the stars. Obi-Wan balances precariously on his precious code that seems to be the only thing he has to keep going as the Togruta die with hate in their eyes.

He’s stopped fighting a long time ago, after they had take a blowtorch to his chest, he had fallen limp after they laughed at his agony. It was then, when Krell materialized from the ash to stand in the corner of the cell, smirking at him as the guards kicked and whipped him until they panted for breath.

Krell has been whispering his worst fears and darkest thoughts to him at every waking hour. For the first time in his life, he contemplates throwing himself headfirst into an incinerator and ending it.

If he’s not fighting a war he has no purpose. However, he thinks that he’s just living what his existence has always been. A nameless slave working tirelessly and only being rewarded with loss. As people he calls friends keep him enslaved while having the ability to kill him on even the slightest of whims.

It's not fair, for any of them, but the power imbalance is stark and drastic, and it certainly hadn’t been fair to Dogma. They had killed him with their inaction and code adherence even as he talked himself raw. They had given him the same mildly pitying look while stating the same bland answer.

Dogma was sent back to Kamino, they still didn’t know how much of a death sentence that is, too be sent back. They haven’t realized why all the men feared Kamino with a single-minded intensity. They didn’t understand what it was like to be so insignificant that you could be thrown away and be replaced, they were Jedi.

_They were important._

Surely, they wouldn’t accept it right? All life is supposed to be precious to Jedi. Shakk Ti is the overseer on the ocean planet, surely she had to know what happened to them. How could they not.

 _“They don’t care enough, Jedi have much larger issues to handle than to worry about every other clone that goes missing or is deemed unfit for battle, if they can’t use you why would they care?”_ Krell asks.

“Get moving skug, you’ve been purchased.” The guard growls after Rex pulls himself off the floor.

_When had that happened?_

_“From one owner to another, it seems like you can never win clone.”_ Krell laughs and Rex painstakingly puts one foot in front of the other as the guards shove and yank him down the hall.

They jab him in inconsistent intervals with their electrified staffs. Each electric pulse rattles through his body and he’s never has a chance to brace himself for the next blow, they force him to keep his head forward.

“Ah, here is the clone. Now you have both of them as promised.” Agruss says smugly as he hovers next to a tall woman in armor that he has never seen before. He’s pushed into line next to Obi-Wan by the guards.

“They will survive more than a standard ten day?” she asks looking at their pitiful appearances.

They had separated him from Obi-Wan about a week ago, they could probably tell that him being around gave the Jedi the resolve to be stubborn. So, they had cut all contact off from each other. They didn’t eat, sleep or work at the same time or even in the same space anymore and the Jedi looks as if he’s barely holding on.

_It's what he deserves._

“Of course, they are strong we just had to instill a few new lessons into them.” Agruss says slyly and the guards jab their pokers into the collars around their necks and leave them to fall to the floor.

The bones in his knees grind together painfully.

The woman cups their jaws in a painfully hard grip in two of her four hands as she pushes their heads back. He flicks his eyes over to Kenobi and he sees how the man’s eyes have gone glassy and distant.

 _“Come on General, you can’t be done yet.”_ Rex thinks desperately, he hears Krell laugh again as he hangs over the woman’s shoulder.

“They’re definitely aesthetically pleasing as promised, they’ll serve as good trophies for my king.” She says and she snaps her fingers, two more armored people walk in carrying black, seamless domed helmets and Rex suddenly feels very nervous.

Obi-Wan only grunts abortively as the helmet is secured tightly over his head, he can see how the Jedi’s hands clench and unclench repetitively.

“You’re not brining that thing anywhere near me.” Rex growls as he tries to shake off the hands on his shoulders.

“You don’t have a choice, slave. I hope you don’t mind the dark.” The woman says as she shoves the helmet on his head.

Then all he knows is darkness. He shouts as he feels hands grab him but he doesn’t hear his own voice. He can’t even hear his own breathing, he’s stuck floating in a pitch black void cut off from all of his senses.

He tries to keep his own panic from eating him alive as he’s dragged off to his fate.

* * *

Maul places his heel on the edge of his seat as he observes the star chart that he pried from the bounty hunter’s lifeless body. If it is all the bounty hunter had bragged about, then it would lead him to a long forgotten Sith artifact that his old Master had often talked about. He was supposed to retrieve the artifact after his Naboo mission. He grinds his teeth when he thinks about how he had never left the wretched planet the way he was supposed to.

How his Master had never come for him like he had faithfully hoped he would, he had been deluded into thinking he was useful enough to be worth saving. His old Master knows he’s active once again, he isn’t going to fool himself into believing that his Darth Sidious is unaware of his presence or what he has been doing over the past few months.

They’ve killed too many Jedi to remain unnoticed, even so, with Mandalore under their control his Master has still yet to show. Which means he has been _replaced._ His Master has chosen another apprentice that isn’t Dooku, why the old man hadn’t realized he’s only a placeholder, Maul doesn’t know.

Sidious puts a limit of usefulness on all his apprentices, he has not qualms in killing or abandoning them when they’ve fulfilled their purpose so he can move onto the next strongest target. Still, the subsequent abandonment of his Master isn’t going to stop him going after what is rightfully his.

“Brother…There’s a shipwreck just up ahead, I don’t recognize the model. Should we investigate it?” Savage rumbles as he turns on the flood lights of their ship.

Maul wants to tell him to ignore it, that it doesn’t concern them, but something makes him pause as he looks at the ruined hull of the ship. He doesn’t listen to the force often, it is a tool he uses to beat his opposition into submission, something he can channel his anger into to become stronger.

Yet the force tugs at him, he knows he can’t ignore whatever it is trying to tell him. Savage has an odd expression on his face, like he can feel the tug as well.

The ship looks too expensive for the Hutt space they’re currently in, whoever attacked them was brutally efficient. Maul expects to find no survivors. It certainly not anything Death Watch has done, they’re too busy with Mandalore. Maul had told a begrudging Pre Vizsla to cement his group’s power over the planet while they were gone.

He would kill the cocky man when he returns to the planet. The terrorist hasn’t realized that he and Savage have ripped his followers right out from under him, it would be too late to do anything once Maul challenged him.

He would die and Maul would be one step closer to his revenge. Duchess Satine has already lost her rule, it wouldn’t be long before she called for her knight in shining armor to come and save her.

He nods to his brother and they use the force to reel in the only intact part of the ship, it almost looks like the cockpit also serves as the escape pod. Maul makes note to find the designers of the ship, the engineering is far more advanced than anything else he’s seen in the past few months.

The wreck lands with a heavy thud in the hanger bay as the artificial gravity rips the ship from its suspended state.

“I sense someone in the ship but, it’s odd like it’s like their presence is muffled.” Savage mentions and Maul nods in a silent agreement as they shove themselves into the lift on the ship.

Savage’s height and strength have been assets in every possible way, until they interfered with everyday tasks that were not built for a Zabrak that stand two meters tall and weighs twice as much as Maul. The Witches had certainly made him into a beast when he had surrendered himself to them.

“What do you want to do if they’re not hostile.” Savage asks with a frown as he rolls his shoulders.

“If they can fight we’ll hand them over to Death Watch, if not, we send them back where we found them. We are not a charity, we have things to accomplish out here.” Maul says blandly and Savage smirks.

They tear the ship open easily between the two of them, Savage has grown stronger under his teaching, has grown from an untameable beast to a refined Force wielder. He’s adapted surprisingly well for a man who was never meant to be force sensitive to begin with.

He scans the cockpit and once he finds the dim presence he points silently to where it is in the ship. Savage nods and grabs the body and drags it out by an ankle. Whoever the man is he’s wearing an odd helmet connected to what is obviously an oxygen and supplement supply on his back. He kneels down to inspect the helmet at a closer angle. Whoever created it did so to support the vital functions of a wearer for long periods of time and to prevent all contact with the outside world.

Maul gently taps on the man’s mind and finds it oddly blank, he cannot hear or see them, the helmet is acting as an isolation chamber.

_Interesting…A slave or violent criminal then._

He’s even more surprised to see that the man’s wounds haven’t killed him. Whoever they stumbled upon was unnaturally resilient, with how the deep burn wounds haven’t rendered him a corpse yet.

Savage rolls the man over and rips apart the clasps on the base of his neck keeping the helmet secured. Neither of them are prepared when the man’s mind suddenly ignites with fear and his body flails wildly, as if thrown into painfully icy waters after living on a desert planet.

His foot catches Savage in the face and his apprentice falls back with a muffled shout as he holds his nose. The man also clutches onto Maul’s wrist with a white knuckled grip when he is too slow to jump away, the bones in his wrist grind together with a surprising grip strength.

He contemplates slicing the man’s arm off and being done with him, but he humours himself and holds up his hand as Savage looks absolutely murderous. His apprentice would live and learn from his lack of focus, the man would not.

They wait until the man stops coughing and gasping for breath, they don’t know how long he has been cut off from all his senses, so they let him readjust. He’s tan, with bright blonde shaggy hair and a slight beard, his cheek bones jut out of his face, making him look gaunt and beaten down.

“You…you saved me?” The man asks, choking slightly as he looks up at them.

“Yes, it seems like your ship was attacked. What were you doing out here?” Maul asks curiously as the man lets go of his wrist and snaps his hand back like he’s been burned.

“I…I don’t remember… you aren’t Jedi right?” The man says with a groan as he eyes the lightsabers on their belts.

“No…we are not…” Maul replies acidly, the man doesn’t seem scared by the new information, in fact he seems to relax further.

“Good…anything but Jedi… _Jedi always make things worse_.” The man mumbles as he slowly loses grip on his consciousness

“You still haven’t told us who you are.” Savage says with a frown and the man cringes away.

“I don’t…I don’t know, I just know the Jedi made me a slave.” The man whimpers before falling unconscious.

“Savage grab a scanner from the med bay, I have a suspicion I want to confirm before we make any more decisions about our cast away.” Maul says, “Make sure your nose isn’t broken while you’re at it.” Maul adds gleefully and Savage growls at him.

He hasn’t seen many clones in the time since he was reborn. In fact, he hasn’t seen a single clone without their armour off, he hadn’t seen a point in getting familiar with his Master’s creations. They are insignificant in the grand scheme of his plans. However, they are highly trained soldiers and if the unconscious man really is a clone, like he theorizes, who happens to remember nothing but his hatred for the Jedi. He would be a fool not to take the opportunity to turn him into a weapon.

“What are you looking for?” Savage asks as he hands Maul the scanner.

“If you had an endless stream of identical men living and working for you, most of them dying and being replaced everyday, how would you keep track of them?” Maul asks as he runs the blue light over the man’s body.

“With a chip…... Do you think this man is a clone?” Savage asks curiously as he leans down.

The device beeps and ignites the holographic input with the man’s information. Maul smiles as he reads what it says. Of all people he wouldn’t have expected to find Skywalker’s pet clone captain all the way out here.

From what he’s heard, Skywalker is rather possessive of everyone around him.

“Let’s bring our dear 501st Captain back to Mandalore, the artifact can wait, we’ve found something much more valuable for now.” Maul smirks and Savage nods as he slings the clone over his shoulder, they head back to the main hull of the ship with their prise.

While unexpected, the arrival of the Captain would serve them well.


	2. Jaig

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> In this lil AU I Bo-Katan leaves Death Watch earlier after Pre Vizsla allies himself with Maul and Savage and she takes Satine off planet to protect her, so the sisters are somewhat allies.

“Sorry…” The clone mumbles and Savage almost jumps with how unexpected the man’s oddly accented voice is, but he doesn’t, he’s a Sith lord. He’s the apprentice to Darth Maul, he knows better to show that he is distracted or the fact that the frail man had scared him.

He's looking the mirror of the connecting ‘fresher to wipe the blood off his face. The man hadn’t broken his nose, but he had dislocated it. Savage had to push it back into place, which was uncomfortable enough to let him know to always protect his face from now on.

Maul would hold it over his head for the next several months and constantly remind him to be on guard, like he is an unruly child who can’t be trusted to cross the street without looking both ways.

He loves his brother, clings to him as his only surviving family with such an intensity that may kill him. Even so, he is the older of the two of them and the red and black Zabrak still continues with his air of superiority as the ‘Master’ between them. even if Savage towers over Maul by almost an entire foot . If he ever voiced any of the facts Maul would put him on his ass…again. He has a need to keep Savage under foot, a need to keep to the rule of two, that they break by existing. He thinks that it helps Maul normalize things, something familiar to cling to after being reborn into a world that has left him behind.

He will readily admit that he is the inferior Sith, he was never born into the world meant to lift things with his mind or wield a lightsaber, but here he is. Did he truly want to kill those Jedi? He doesn’t dwell on those questions or his state of being, tools don’t get to decide how they’re used.

He also doesn’t dwell on who he used to be, Feral still haunts his dreams in images far too vivid to ever go down that path of remembrance. His brother’s murder will way on him until his body gives out and his pitiful existence ceases.

There’s a reason he doesn’t reflect or meditate like Maul pushes him to, too much time to think when it’s just him and all of the unfortunate events that led him to where he is.

The power is exhilarating, something he’s never felt before, yet he has no reason to have it if he doesn’t have any brothers to protect. His brothers are dead or don’t view him as family in the normal sense.

He then realizes he’s been inner monologuing for too long. He’s been glaring at the man in the reflection of the mirror for too long. The clone obviously looks very uncomfortable, it’s not a stretch to say he looks fearful.

“What are you apologizing for?” Savage ask moderately as he can as he walks to the bed the man is laying on.

They had stripped him his gaudy outfit that Savage distantly recognized as Zygerrian, he had probably been on an undercover mission as there would be no other reason for a Republic clone to have it. The torn and bloodied uniform had been swapped for one of Maul’s old robes, he would swim in anything Savage owned so it wasn’t a long debate as to who would give up their clothing.

Why Maul decided to hold on the amnesiac man instead of spacing him, Savages till has his doubts. Clones aren’t unrecognizable, someone would say something soon.

“I kicked you in the face after you saved me, seems like a pretty bad way to thank someone.” The man says, he can see how a blush blooms on his chest under the bacta patches. When Savage raises and eye ridge at him and the man looks away, blushing harder.

He makes a decision, Maul may or may not like, but he is still is a Nightbrother, he knows about secrecy and plotting. The longer a secret is kept the longer it would rot away at anything valuable.

“You are a solider, it was a basic reaction.” Savage says puttering around for a pain killer hypo, he hasn’t mastered releasing pain into the force and Maul isn’t going to teach him anytime soon. The Sith thrive off of pain and discomfort, it makes them stronger, but he has a pounding headache from his throbbing face and he doesn’t have the patience to keep his temper in-check when such a stupid injury hurts so much.

“A what? That can’t be right.” The man says with grimace, looking as if he’s trying to remember something that may or may not come.

“You have a chip in your arm that says you are a Captain in the Republic clone army, an important one too, you led the 501st legion, known at the Republic’s fist under Jedi Knight Anakin Skywalker.” Savage explains and he carefully watches as the man’s face falls.

For a long while he doesn’t say anything.

“If I was so important why was I out here? There’s nothing out here but space. There probably isn’t an active battlefield unless it’s parsecs away.” The man demands somewhat hysterically, Savage tries not to agitate the man who is clearly a whisper away from a complete meltdown.

“We found you on an expensive slave trading ship, the damage looked old, I’d say the ship was attacked a ten-day ago.” Savage admits as he watches the man closely.

There’s another long awkward pause and Savage is tempted to leave the man alone in his misery but something makes him stay, he pretends that he doesn’t here the man sniff and rub at his eyes.

“I was sold then, or I wasn’t worth saving or even worth a rescue attempt? I mean if they cared they would’ve been searching for me, right?” The man asks miserably.

“The Republic is fickle, they lack compassion and view the clone army as mindless slaves sent to die so Republic citizen can never see war.” Savage says, he purposefully doesn’t mention the clones he has killed, the man digs his nails into his chipped arm like it personally offends him.

“Good to know that I would’ve died as I lived, nothing but a slave.” He says bitterly and Savage knows that if the man doesn’t stop scratching at himself, he’s going to injure his arm.

“You have a new chance to recreate yourself, my brother and I have been against the Jedi and Republic for several months, we’ve seen their corruption.” A small lie but it wouldn’t hurt him in the long run.

“I’ll go anywhere if it’s far away from the Republic, I’m not letting them make me a slave again….Can I ask you a favour?” The man says seriously.

“Possibly.” Savage replies simply and the man holds his arm out.

“Take this damned chip out. I want nothing to do with the Republic for as long as I live.” He says and Savage is entertained by the man’s gusto.

“It has your name on it, do you wan to know what it is before I destroy the chip?” Savage asks as he focuses the force on the man’s chip and starts to pull gently as he can, no use in crippling the man.

“No, I don’t want to know my slave name.” The man says, he winces as the chip pulls through the tissue of his arm to rip through his skin and into Savage’s hand, he crushes the little chip in between his fingers easily.

“What are going to call yourself now?” Savage asks again, while Death Watch has enough characters to make up a life time of drama and interesting stories, Savage is drawn to the angry little clone.

“Jaig…. Something feels right about it.” He says and Savage nods, a fitting name indeed.

“Well then Jaig, we’ll be arriving at Mandalore soon, regain your strength, as you will need it.” Savage says as he leaves the medbay to walk back to the cockpit.

Maul is sitting in the pilot’s seat, but as he get’s closer he sees someone sitting in his chair and his hand goes to his lightsaber.

“Brother, we have much to discuss, our new addition will serve us well.” Savage says as he inches closer to his occupied seat.

“I also have news for you, come, there is someone you need to meet.” Maul says as he turns around, whoever is in the chair apparently isn’t a threat and isn’t unwelcome either, which confuses Savage more.

The co-pilot chair swivels to show a massive Besalisk, even taller than he is, but there’s something off about him. He’s too ghostly to be real and a smoking black blaster wound tells him all he needs to know.

“A force ghost?” He says confusedly.

“Very astute my apprentice, this force ghost is an ex-Jedi who hates the Jedi and Republic as much as we do, he has may interesting things he can share with us.” Maul says with a manic grin.

* * *

“Stop pacing, Kenobi will live.” Bo-Katan says to him, Cody grimaces and stomps his feet harder as he walks up and down the medical hall, just to be petty.

“I’m not worried about General Kenobi.” He lies, he is, of course he’s worried. His General had spent the last month in salve processing plant and then was sold to an unknown buyer.

The only reason they had managed to get him back to the Temple and into a bacta tank, is because Bo-Katan and her Nigh Owls had seen the slave transport as a good target for a raid.

They hadn’t been looking to save a Jedi, but they did. Now Satine sits diligently by his tank waiting for the day where he would wake up again. There is no telling if his General would be the same Jedi he was before once he heals physically.

There’s too much going on, the anxiety and foul mix of self hatred and anger permeates through the Temple and he can feel it without having a lick of force sensitivity. If there is an optimistic, note it is that they were able to save the Kiros colonists after Ahsoka and Anakin had escaped Zygerria. 50,000 lives for two seems like a pretty even trade, but not when those two lives were Obi-Wan’s and Rex’s.

His brother is missing, missing and no one acted like the foundations of an entire legion aren’t at risk. Sure, Ahsoka and Anakin are good Jedi, good leaders but things had changed after Umbara. Rex kept everything from falling apart. Now he is gone, lost to the stars to some distant warlord as a slave.

“If you’re not worried then you can stop your stomping.” Bo-Katan says with an impatient sigh.

“Listen, I know this may be a foreign concept you since you have gone around for the past several years running with terrorists that have been trying to kill your own sister. So it my surprise you that I’m worried for my brother that was with Obi-Wan when they were sold from Kadavo, he’s missing now.” Cody snarls and he can see the corners of her mouth tighten, he mentally pats himself on the back.

“I had my reasons to disagree with Satine’s principles, as I have my reasons to fight Darth Maul’s hold over my planet.” Bo-Katan says, Cody rolls his eyes.

“I thought Pre Vizsla was still in charge, Maul hasn’t killed him yet?” He replies.

“No, not yet, which is why I’m here now. Maul and Savage Opress will tear Mandalore apart if it means more power for them. We need to move on the planet now and rip them from power while we still can.” She says haughtily.

Cody sighs deeply, the Mandalorian, while he has to commend her for her strong convictions and loyalty to her planet is highly deluded, she’s excluding several pertaining factors in her single mindedness.

If it was a different time, if he isn’t so tired from running a third of the army while his General galivanted across of the galaxy on his top-secret missions. If she isn’t a wanted terrorist who is linked to genocidal village raids and attacking Commander Tano then maybe the Republic would be able to help her.

As it stands, she is going to be taken into Republic custody for questioning along with the rest of her Night Owls. Ahsoka would probably forgive her for her past actions, but the Chancellor wouldn’t be so kind. It would take a miracle to make what she is asking for work.

They have an entire colony to rehabilitate and a Jedi to rebuild, he’s not only thinking of Kenobi. He’s seen the haunted look in Tano and Skywalker’s eyes, the Jedi look maybe one move away from snapping and someone needs to do something about it before it became too late.

Once again it all fell to him, it always did. He didn’t ever think that he would go through Alpha-17’s grueling training to be an emotional support clone for the unstable Jedi that seem to gravitate towards him.

His own to do list is never ending and seems to grow with another task every second. At least Wolffe and Bly had emotionally stable Jedi. Plo Koon would take the Togruta colonists back home and he would ensure that they their society wouldn’t collapses the moment they left. Aayla and Bly would deal with the violent war lord on Nervvo.

Things would be okay, for the most part.

He would have enough breathing room to sort through the endless files taken from Kadavo so he could find Rex, they would find his baby brother and bring him back.

“Fox, good to see that you’re still breathing.” Cody says as the very distinct clone rounded the corner followed by his eager shinnies.

“You too vod, not the messiest of exits, few casualties. Sounds like a win in my book.” Fox replies as he pulls his helmet off to scratch as the scar tissue on the side of his face. Bo-Katan’s eyes widen when she sees the scaring across Fox’s face and his white as snow hair.

Cody slaps his had away from his face.

“Alpha told you not to scratch it. I don’t need that cantankerous bastard laying me out because I let you itch.” Cody says as Fox scowls at him.

“He is heavy, pretty sure he stole all the muscle for himself. We should call him soon to let him know we aren’t dead. Until then I’m under orders from Supreme Chancellor Palpatine to arrest Death Watch member Bo-Katan Kryze and bring her into Republic custody.” Fox says tiredly as he slaps his bucket back on and turns to face an indignant looking Mandalorian.

“You can’t be serious! We’re wasting time, every second we waste here the stronger Maul’s grip becomes on Mandalore! People will die with our inaction.” Bo-Katan shouts while he and Fox remain impassive.

“Ma’am with no respect at all, you can drop the self-righteous act. You’re a terrorist who has bombed her own planet and killed her own people, you’ve slaughtered villages of innocent people, you’re a terrorist and you are being treated as such. Just because you brought back General Kenobi doesn’t erase your crimes. You are getting the exact treatment you deserve. We don’t take risks when it comes to protecting our own citizens.” Fox says harshly and Cody forces himself to be the impassive soldier he was trained to be.

He watches as she shoves Fox away only to be electrocuted and cuffed, she growls and spits insults at them, but the shininess don’t even flinch as they march her away with Fox in the lead.

 _‘At least she isn’t boring to be around.’_ Cody thinks.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> While I like Bo-Katan a lot as a character, I don't think she should be redeemed or be seen as a good person, she sided with a terrorist for a long ass time and the only reasons she left and asked the Jedi for help is because she just doesn't like Maul personally.
> 
> Pre Vizsla would've killed Satine as well but I highly doubt that she would've left if he had remained alive.


	3. Of Course, Lord Maul

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Welcome to the monkey dancing in the street, where I am the dancing monkey with my crack pairings haha.  
> No warnings for this chapter

When the force spirit had first materialized in Savage’s co-pilot seat Maul had almost put a blade through the head rest. He hadn’t shown any sign of acknowledgement and they sat in silence for the longest time. The massive force spirt didn’t seem to mind, instead he seem to enjoy testing Maul’s patience, knowing that he couldn’t do anything to be physically harmed.

“Who are you supposed to be? A messenger from my former Master?” Maul says as he puts the ship in auto pilot, they would return to Mandalore soon, he didn’t need to pay attention to the controls for a moment.

“No, merely a man who has been cursed to an existence of being tied to my greatest failure, I’ve also shown myself to offer a possible allyship.” The man says, if Maul remembers correctly, he looks to be a Besalisk and a Jedi Master as well, if the robes and lightsabers hanging by his belt are anything to go by.

“Do tell, we are relatively busy people and I don’t have much time or patience to play guess what the riddle is trying to tell you.” Maul says dryly as he spins his seat to looks directly as the dead Jedi Master.

“ _Always so impatient_ _you Sith are_ , I was a Jedi Master until I saw all the failings of the Jedi order, saw that they would fall for being so blind of their own weaknesses. I wanted to prove to Lord Tyrannus that I was worthy to be his next apprentice by handing him Umbara and sabotaging the Republic, but I ran into some unforeseen obstacles.” He growls.

“A bitter failing on your part, Dooku is an old fool, you should’ve reached higher than that pawn of my old Master.” Maul replies unimpressed.

“The failing will be yours as well if you are not careful, you seem to not fully comprehend who you have in the back of your ship.” He responds angrily.

“A clone.” Maul shoots back with a scowl, he isn’t a fool, he plots out each one of his moves in painful detail, he knows exactly what he can do with their new amnesiac clone.

“Not just any clone, Captain Rex is the GAR’s greatest tacticians, he has an uncanny ability to gander people’s undying loyalty with minimal effort, he also saw through my scheme to sabotage the Republic on Umbara. Even when he couldn’t kill me himself one of his men did the deed instead. His men will kill for him. Do not make my mistake and underestimate him, he may just steal your empire.” The dead Jedi says while Maul stares at him affronted.

“Are you giving me a warning or telling I have an invaluable tool?” He asks impatiently as he drums his fingers on the hilt of his lightsaber.

“I’m saying that our dear Captain is a not always a predictable person with very strong convictions he should not be taken lightly, however having no memory works in our favour. With my help you can manipulate the man into being the ultimate weapon against the Jedi, Kenobi, Skywalker and Tano are incredibly attached to him. It would cause great pain to know that he despised them while thinking you to be his saviour.” The ghost says maliciously.

“Hmmm and you’re sure of this, that brining the Captain to our side would hurt the Jedi?” Maul asks curiously, the longer the dead Jedi talks the more intrigued he becomes.

“Most certain, I’ve seen and heard how the Jedi have discussed the beloved Captain Rex. He also seems _interested in your brother_ , whether you wish to play that card that is up to your discretion.” He says.

“What is your name, fallen Jedi? I do believe we have a long future working together and I wish to know your name.” Maul asks with a smirk

“Pong Krell and I look forward to working together with you in the future, however I should mention that the Captain believes only he can see me and I do think it would be best to keep it that way. I am the unbiased caring force spirit that only wants the best for him.” Krell says with a smirk and Maul bares his teeth in manic grin.

The doors open suddenly, and Savage comes lumbering in, his full height never manages to astound him and the power the Nightsisters have gained over his 12 year hiatus.

“Brother, we have much to discuss, our new addition will serve us well.” Savage says as he inches closer to his occupied seat.

“I also have news for you, come, there is someone you need to meet.” Maul says as he turns around, whoever is in the chair apparently isn’t a threat and isn’t unwelcome either, which confuses Savage more.

The co-pilot chair swivels to show a massive Besalisk, even taller than he is, but there’s something off about him. He’s too ghostly to be real and a smoking black blaster wound tells him all he needs to know.

“A force ghost?” He says confusedly.

“Very astute my apprentice, this force ghost is an ex-Jedi who hates the Jedi and Republic as much as we do, he has may interesting things he can share with us.” Maul says with a manic grin.

Savage nods his had and looms over the force ghost.

“You’re in my spot…” He says rumbling slightly and Krell raises his hands as a means of placating his brother.

“Of course, my apologies, I must return to our dearest Captain, but you will see me again soon. He will ruin the Jedi for you.” Krell says before he fades out of existence.

“Excellent, Savage have a seat there is a task I need you to fulfill.” Maul says mildly as Savage looks at him bewildered before shaking his head slumping into the chair next to him.

“I want you to seduce the Captain, Krell tells me has an affinity towards you, if he is going to be a valuable asset we need to have his loyalty and a reason for him to care about our mission, we need an emotionally connection.” Maul says, he can feel the shock explode in his force signature.

“You can’t be serious!” He exclaims.

“Oh, more serious, than you would ever believe apprentice. Don’t tell you do not see the looks Rook shoots at you or any other sentients as you walk by, it is time you put that face you have to good use.” Maul teases and he can see how his brother burns with embarrassment.

“Wouldn’t you be far better suited?” Savage mutters as he pulls out his datapad.

“Oh I would dear brother but I am having far too much fun with Saxon, I can’t have too many men in my bed, it would make people far too envious. It’s also hard to seduce someone when I have no lower body.” Maul says wickedly as he enjoys the dawning realization of his brother as he realizes that Maul is set on having him seduce the clone for their plans.

* * *

Gar Saxon rubs at his sore shoulder, Ursa Wren had managed to get a good shot that went right in between the plating of his beskar when they had made a run for it with the Duchess. Pre Vizsla had put too much faith in Bo-Katan to remain loyal once he had brought Maul and Savage into the mix. She, like any Mandalorian among their ranks detested outsiders, the more power Pre gave Maul the more her resentment had grown.

There is also the possible factor that she did still care for her sister even with their differences, the fact that she broke Satine out of prison, makes that conclusion more possible than not. Now it’s late and he’s still hunched over a desk looking over reports from Maul’s crime syndicate while Pre raves and rants about the true meaning of loyalty to their remaining Death Watch members. They’ll have to recruit more members with the Nite Owls gone, it is only a matter of time before they returned with a stronger force to challenge them for the rule over Mandalore.

Fuck his shoulder really hurt, he’s tired and running out if patience for the mundane reports he’s been saddled with.

He just needed to close his eyes for a second, just a second and then he could get back to work.

“I was wondering why Death Watch seemed to be missing a few of its members.” A voice purrs as a hand runs through his blonde hair, mussing it from its usual gelled state and he tries to stop a full body jerk as he’s jarred from his dozing.

“Lord Maul, I didn’t expect you to be back so soon, was your mission a success?” He asks looking up at the smirking Zabrak who leans against his desk and he plucks the datapad from under his elbow.

“The artifact isn’t going anywhere, I will return to searching for it soon. We made an unusual discovery while in Hutt Space.” He trails off as he frowns at the report and Saxon pushes from the desk as his intrigue is piqued.

“Interesting how?” He asks and Maul looks up from the report to bare his teeth in a feral grin.

“We stumbled upon an amnesiac clone in a ruined slave transport who believes he has been enslaved by the Jedi.” Maul replies gleefully much to Saxon’s confusion.

“I’m guessing there is a reason you didn’t kill the Republic dog right away?” He asks and Maul nods in approval as he grips the arm rests of his chair and leans in.

“He is or was the Captain of the 501st, serving directly under with Skywalker working closely with Kenobi. He’ll be the perfect weapon against them, I’ve seen how the Jedi rely hand on foot on their clones, having him hate them will be perfect.” Maul whispers into his ear making him shiver slightly, having the Sith so close, only illuminated by the light from the computer is already sending blood to all the wrong places when he should be thinking about how they can use the clone. Maul obviously knows what he’s thinking about as he casually leans back with a dangerous look in his eyes, Saxon tries to swallow harshly but his throat is drier than Tatooine.

Maul’s metal foot suddenly appears on his codpiece and presses down warningly, he can’t help but release a chocked whine as the armour grinds into his half-hard dick just on the perfect edge of pleasure-pain. He bites his lip from letting any further embarrassing noises out as Maul grinds his foots a little harder on his crotch.

“Report to me Saxon, what happened when I saw gone?” Maul orders sternly and he can feel himself blush furiously as his hips grind up into the pressure of Maul’s foot.

“Bo-Katan and her Nite Owls betrayed us…She said you and Savage were leading us away from the Mandalorian way, said we were all traitors to the true Mandalorians. She took the Duchess and her Nite Owls off planet with the Skull Crusher, we think she headed to Republic space as the tracker stopped transmitting near Naboo….” Saxon says with a whimper as Maul yanks his head back by his hair and drags his fangs along his exposed neck.

“Hmmm why didn’t Vizsla tell us of this development?” Maul asks distractedly as he lightly sinks his teeth into his skin, worrying it teasingly between his teeth.

“He didn’t want to…. make it seem that he was unable to control his men while you….were away, you make him nervous.” Saxon admits with a groan and he thinks for a second that he’s said too much but Maul rumbles approvingly as a ghostly hand runs over his painfully hard cock.

“Mhmmm, he should be, or else my old master has wasted 20 years of training if I didn’t make people even slightly nervous. But I can deal Vizsla later, for now I want you in my quarters…Mandalorian.” Maul says huskily as he drags a finger up the seam of his chest plates, and he clears his throat harshly before opening his mouth.

“Of course, Lord Maul.”


	4. Who Am I If No One Remembers Me

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Welcome back to the crack show :))

Satine doesn’t know what kind of woman she is anymore, not a Duchess that’s for sure. Her planet is lost, she had called for Obi-Wan in a desperate unthinking panic as the world exploded around her. He never came and she wasted away in the cells, hidden away from any sort of person that wasn’t Death Watch or the Sith brothers.

As she holds Obi-Wan’s hand as he lies oh so very still in his hospital room, she understands why he never came. Why he had never appeared like the white knight she had always thought him to be when they were teenagers, living from day to day on her war-torn planet.

Life certainly had not been kind to her dearest Obi-Wan as of late, he hasn’t moved, barely even twitched when they moved him in and out of different bacta tanks and she worries his time in the slave processing plant has broken him forever. Which can’t be possible, her mind desperately reasons, Obi-wan Kenobi simply does not give up.

He’s faced larger trials, far stronger opponents and toppled them with only his will and wit alone but now he lays, pale and gaunt and moving as electric burns stand out on his skin like bright red chains. She can only weep so much, knowing what he must have had to endure while being helpless to save others.

If she doesn’t have her planet, if she barely has her sister who has been carted away as a prisoner than _who is she_ if no one remembers who she has always been? The world of the Jedi is foreign and infuriating to her, especially when the ones that come visit Obi-Wan’s comatose form are just as angry as any Death Watch member. Once again she is helpless to do anything and it stokes the raging fire of her anger, at the galaxy, at herself, at Bo-Katan and at Maul and his brother, for all she knows are running her planet into the ground.

She knows the Zabrak brothers are the true leaders of Death Watch, Pre Vizsla is a fool forever letting them step on Mandalorian soil. For it too will soon be stained with his blood, why he cannot see this, she doesn’t know. For far too long people have worshiped him as a god, a saviour, but it is only a matter of time before the foul tempered brothers have had enough of him.

The only people that give her some measure of relief are Obi-Wan’s loyal Commander and Ahsoka, the young Jedi has grown into a capable young woman and it fill her heart with joy. Even if she carries a ferocity and anger within her, it seems as she has grown, she has grown far wilder. The timidness of her youth has long been shed as she knows she can kill if she has too, she has killed and she will again for the better of the galaxy.

There is no removing the taint of blood on her hands or the nightmares of the war that Satine knows plagues anyone like they have plagued her.

Cody shuffles into Obi-Wan’s room a few moments later, he’s a welcome distraction from the sucking abyss that is her own mind. He’s wearing a sweat suit of some kind, casual and comfortable looking and he holds a bundle that Satine has come to recognize as hygienic supplies and she smiles at the Commander’s thoughtfulness. It shows how truly close the two have grown, Satine wouldn’t have been surprised if an ‘I love you’ fell from Obi-Wan’s lips, she might even say it to the man as well. The Commander is so easily loveable, in so many ways, but he too seems to carry a deep sorrow on his shoulders that only seems to drag him further and further downwards as each day passes.

He smiles tiredly at her and she returns the greeting with her own tired smile.

“Hello Cody, how are you fairing today?” Satine asks in good nature, a nature she does not feel.

“I could be better Duchess, if I am being honest.” Cody replies sounding downtrodden as he plunks himself in the chair next to Obi-Wan’s head and unravel his bundle of goods that she knows Obi-Wan uses religiously, she smiles knowing that not much had changed in the man.

“Please, call me Satine, we are equals here.” Satine says and with the way that he stiffens it’s apparently the wrong thing to say.

“Please Duchess you are leagues beyond me, I am but a simple clone.” He says sounding bitter as he wipes down Obi-Wan’s face with a warm cloth.

“You’re a person Cody, you have never been below me, even as our views differ, I do no see you as a piece of property meant to be bought and sold.” Satine says softly and his face crumples into an expression of despair, she knows she’s cracked his facade to draw out the larger issue.

“They still haven’t found Rex, I know they’re going to have him labelled as KIA in the official records soon, Jesse looks like he’ll be promoted to Captain. My brother is lost to the stars and the Senate is making us sit on our thumbs as they hem and haw over what to do about your sister and the other Nite Owls when it’s so obvious that we are needed out on the front lines but they have us stuck in here. They can move us around like pawns and there is nothing we can do about it!” Cody says angrily, even as his anger bubbles and rages to the surface he is never rough with Obi-wan, only careful as he trims and grooms the Jedi’s beard.

She makes her decision in split second, she may not know who she is but she knows what she will be, what she wants to be. It is time that she throws away her old ways of inaction, sometimes the world only understood physical action, she will still take no life, but it doesn’t mean she can’t be persuasive. She knows even madness can be reasoned with.

“I will help find your brother, no matter the cost I will find him for you. You have my word as a Mandalorian.” She announces as she stands suddenly shocking Cody from his sorrow into wide eyed shock.

“What kind of Mandalorian is that?” He asks hesitantly.

“A Mandalorian that will finally do as she must to protect the ones that have protected her. To show that I am right to rule.” Satine says as she flashes out the door, she has a prisoner to see to.

* * *

“Kast, new recruit, he needs armor.” Savage says to bleary eyed woman as she looks gobsmacked between him and the massive Zabrak.

“A clone…? I thought you and Lord Maul went off planet for _a weapon_.” She asks incredulously as she rubs at her face with an exasperated sigh.

“We’ll explain later, it’s somewhat of a complicated story. Vizsla doesn’t need to know until morning but Maul does want his robe back.” Savage says and the woman turns to look at him and the black robe he’s wrapped in with a raised eyebrow, he feels himself blush.

“Does Saxon know?” She asks finally shaking off the last bit of sleep as she crosses her arms over her chest, Jaig wonders how she isn’t freezing standing in just in shorts and a loose t-shirt. Then again maybe the stress of everything has made the palace feel cold.

“Maul is with Saxon. He’s debriefing him now.” Savage says stone faced and the woman-Kast smirks like she has just gotten her hands on a fortune.

“Debriefing? Is that so, hmmm I guess I’ve been doing my debriefings wrong this whole time, I didn’t know they included so much begging.” Kast says with a feral grin and Jaig fells himself blush harder as Savage growls at her and she puts her hands up in mock surrender.

“Hey, you don’t think it’s bad for me to know that Lord Maul and Saxon are having rigorous sex down the hall? I’ve known the guy for 10 years, he practically a brother.” Kast snaps back at Savage’s retreating back.

Jaig stands in the hallway, at a loss for what to do as the woman loses all sense of companionship as Savage disappears down the hall. She looks him up and down with a frown on her face and he tries his best to steel himself against her icy disposition. She reminds him of someone but he can’t quite remember, the memory is just at the tips of his fingers but as he tries to grab at it, it frustratingly disappears in a whisper of smoke teasing him with his inability to obtain it.

“Come on clone, let’s get you suited up. Time will tell if you’re actually worthy of wearing it, that is if you survivor whatever Lord Maul and Savage have in store for you.” Kast says as she marches down the hall without so much as a second glance.

“I have a name you know, I’m not even a clone, more like a piece of property that got thrown away.” Jaig says bitterly.

“Spit it out then, I don’t have all day to guess what your name is, and it sounds you have no lost love for your Republic.” Kast says with a questioning tilt to her head as they walk lower into the palace.

“It’s Jaig, and no I have no love for the Jedi or the Republic, whoever I was while I served under them is lost. I don’t know if there is any hope in regaining any of my memories…” Jaig trails off.

“What do you mean?” Kast asks as she slaps the panel of the lift they stand in front of.

“Exactly what I said, I have no memory of anything of who I was before Lord Maul and Savage had saved me from the shipwreck they came across, only a few hazy distant memories and feelings bounce around my skull. Even if I adored my Jedi I cannot remember.” Jaig says with a frown as they enter the lift.

“Do you even remember your name?” Kast asks curiously.

“No, Savage gave me a chance to know my old name but I don’t think I would’ve made a difference, knowing a simple word won’t bring my memories back, I let whatever man I was die with my name.” Jaig admits bitterly and Kast hums in agreement as the lift dings obediently to let them out in a hot, dimly lit hallway.

“Maybe we’ll make a Mandalorian out of you, yet Jaig. Now c’mon let’s get you suited up so I can go back to bed. It still is the middle of the night and I’m hoping to get at least a few more hours before the morning comes at a much more decent time.” Kast says as she leads him down the hall to a massive set of thick steal doors that creak open to reveal an armoury.

He can see why it is so hot down here, what looks like was once a morgue incinerator has been turned into a large forge.

“Grab a body suit from the closet, you’re not a big as Saxon but definitely not a small, a medium will suit you best. The we can get started on your armour.” Kast says and Jaig nods, flushing for a second as he strips his boots off.

He darts his eyes to look at her and she sighs impatiently before turning her back to him. He quickly strips off Maul’s robe and places it on a nearby crate, before he has his first few false starts in wriggling into his new body suit.

“You didn’t keel over and die trying to wiggle into that thing, did you?” Kast asks sarcastically and Rex scowls as he hikes the tough yet flexible material over his shoulders and partially zips up the front of the suit.

“No, this thing is just tight.” Jaig complains as he pushes his hands through the tight cuffs.

“What is it?” He asks as he finishes zipping up the suit as she stares at him in silent contemplation with the armour plates neatly laid on the table.

“Nothing, I just didn’t expect you to have so many scars.” Kast says as she waves her hand, beckoning him to come forward.

“Is that a good thing?” Jaig asks curiously as she passes him plates with instructions on where to put them.

“Depends, it either means you have survived being on the front lines with a mix of luck and skill or you’re especially bad at dodging.” Kast says sardonically and he feels himself puff up with indignation.

“Relax rookie, I’m teasing you. Scars are a good thing, means you’re a survivor.” Kast says as she pats his shoulder and fastens the last bit of armour to him.

He wonders how long he has to wait until he can customize it, he has itch deep in his bones to repaint the black and grey armour to blue and white and he doesn’t quite know why.

Even with the desire to redecorate, the armour feels good, familiar in both a forbidden and welcome way, Kast slaps a flask in his hand, and she raises the one in hers. He may have no memory, but he knows what a toast looks like.

“Victory or death.” She says before knocking back the contents.

 _Victory indeed_ he thinks as the alcohol hits his tongue, _I have already beaten death_.


	5. My Loyalty is Never to You

Maul knows the exact moment when Pre Vizsla finds out about their little side project, the Captain follows Kast like a duckling unsure of their place in the world which in understandable. He hasn’t met anyone other than his commando leader. While he and Savage are the true rulers of Death Watch he and Savage don’t make a habit of reminding the Mandalorians that they are mortals like themselves, who need to eat and drink to survive, so they haven’t been in the common places to offer guidance to their little captain.

It is better for their soldiers to believe the false lies they have created, where they are higher beings, unheeded by their mammalian woes. Outside eating and training there isn’t much time to integrate with the Mandalorians, eating and fighting tends to be the most common times when they bond with one another.

Plenty of bonding also happened when they all drank themselves into unconsciousness and fall into bed with one another. Maul gags at the thought of human intercourse, sloppy and messy combined with body hair has never failed to disgust him.

He doesn’t acknowledge the fact that it makes him a hypocrite by falling into Saxon’s bed whenever the urge came to him. The man’s sexual intrigue is too blatant to ignore and dealing with Pre vizsla has given him an extra reason find other methods of release when dealing with his stupidity day in and out. He also isn’t going lie and say he doesn’t find amusing when people do find out that he does indeed, have a cock.

Speaking of Saxon, he and the man walk into the mess hall to find Kast handing the captain a cup of steaming liquid. He’s curious to see how well he his accumulating to his new surroundings, there isn’t a point in moving forward with his plan if the Captain cannot adapt to his new surroundings.

He has a plan if the Captain cannot conform to his new life, sacrifices must be made if he is to remain control of his soldiers, and sometimes plans do not work out as he has laid them down. He cannot control every single person he encounters, even if the fact angers him to no end.

Luckily for the captain and his plan, he sees the blonde captain wearing a new set of Mandalorian armour given out to new recruits to desire to join Death Watch.

He’ll collect his robe at a later time but for now he enjoys the red-faced pompous fool who stares adamantly at the captain. He also enjoys how the captain is steadfastly ignoring the elephant in the room, focusing solely on Kast and getting his morning rations like they’re the most important thing in the world.

“Maul, a word if you may.” Pre vizsla says as he motions Maul over with two fingers, he allows the discrepancy to pass as he is too entertained by the tableau unfolding. With the present soldiers all looking in some way sheepish or cautious as they try to observe Rex and the conversation he’s about to have with Vizsla.

“Of course, my dear Mandalorian, whatever is the matter?” Maul asks upping up the innocent act like he was ever able to pull it off in the first place, his appearance has never allowed him to be benevolent.

“Why is there a clone among my ranks?” Vizsla hisses and Maul can see how he crushes his helmet to his side.

“You should know by now not to pass up on a good opportunity Pre Vizsla, we saw the Captain in peril and recruited him into our ranks, it is as simple as that.” Maul says, already bored with the man’s predictability

“He just walked away from the Republic? I thought clones were bred with an unwavering loyalty to the Jedi, why would he just leave?” Vizsla demands loudly and he can see how the soldier shift uncomfortably in their spots.

They are stuck in the limbo of whether or not to draw their weapons as Maul has remained nothing but completely calm and unthreatening. The unsurety of the environment is making them uneasy and Maul enjoy drawing out the long awkward moments.

“It seems like our dear captain has lost his memory and has grown tired of his treatment by the Republic, do not underestimate the power of allyship.” Maul says with a smirk as he flicks his eyes over to where Rex stands next to Rook with a pinched expression.

“If you have a problem with me then you can say it to my face.” Rex barks out with a scowl and he has to smother a snort with the way the bald man’s face goes pale with rage.

“It is a privilege that you remain breathing, boy. I am the leader of Death Watch, I will say what goes and we will see how foolish it truly is to have brought you into our fold in time, you will always be a Republic dog, you will never be one of us.” Pre Vizsla spits out.

“Leader...? Is that so? Well let me tell you, great and almighty leader of this fine establishment, I know exactly what I am and I have no desire to be apart of people so distrustful of one another there hasn’t been a moment of stability or peace since it’s conception. I will respect our wishes and I am grateful for the hospitality but let it be known that my loyalty is never to you.” Rex barks out angrily and Maul is surprised at the captain’s tenacity.

He didn’t except him to bare his teeth so early into this game and his actions just cement his need to keep the captain around. If he’s lucky the captain will snap and kill Vizsla and his control over Death Watch and Mandalore would be more concrete, but there isn’t a need to rush. His crime syndicate is already in place now all he has to do is expand his control and make Kenobi suffer every inch of the way.

“I do hope we can all work together and be cordial, Death Watch needs the kind of expertise that the captain will bring, you are severely lacking in tacticians among your ranks, the skills your Mandalorian soldiers bring will be useless unless used properly against the Republic, and they will show you no mercy once the Jedi sneak onto your soil. I would know.” Maul says evenly, he doesn’t let the last few words hiss out between his gritted teeth, he is the master of his own body, no thoughts of a simple man will strip him of years of brutal training under a cruel teacher.

He can feel his Master’s influence creeping closer, he has to be prepared when the time comes when he does arrive. He and Savage ruin the rule of two, and he learned all those year ago when he was dumped on the barren space dump that he had bee replaced the moment Kenobi had cut him in half. He had turned into a lability with his failure, when the first few months had past, after he had survived off scraps and had constructed his body of filth he had stopped hoping that his Master would come for him.

The knowledge that he had been cast aside began his descent into madness, a descent he isn’t keen to revisit anytime soon. He has greater things to attend to, he must prepare Savage for a duel against a true master of the Sith. He’s tempted to tell Dooku to cut his loses and flee from his old Master, maybe he could knock some sense into the old man, or just kill him and usurp his rule to collect the power the Separatists have.

It is only a matter of time until everything falls into place.

* * *

“So…How do you feel?” Rook asks as she steps out from behind the frosted glass of the shower barrier wrapping a towel around her body.

Saxon sighs as he wipes the steam from the mirror, does he even have an answer for that question? He tilts his head to the side and drags his razor across his cheek before taping the shaving foam on the edge of the sink.

“What do I think of what Rook?” He asks as he shaves another line into the foam on his jaw.

“About our newest recruit? Do you really think he doesn’t have any memory or is he just faking to get into our ranks?” Rook says as she pulls out her toothbrush.

“I don’t think he would be that skilled of an actor to fool Lord Maul, he is a force user he would be able to see if the clone is truly faking his memory loss or not, I trust his judgement.” Saxon says neutrally.

“And the bite marks on your neck aren’t the reason you trust Lord Maul?” Rook teases as she pokes at the fresh and fading bruises along his neck.

“No, I’m not ruled by my dick, I can make decisions and I have eyes, we were barely surviving under Bo-Katan and Pre, we were outlawed to a barren wasteland. Don’t tell me you don’t see it, how the moment Maul and Savage took over we’re suddenly eating a lot better and we have a lot more weaponry in better condition as well. Dream as he might, Pre Vizsla is not a grand scale leader he thinks himself to be, he’s too proud to see his own faults or change them.” Saxon says as he leans down to wash the last few smears of foam off his face.

“Everything will come to head eventually, Pre and Maul will be at each other’s throats soon enough, he’s just pushing Pre further and further with everything he does. Brining this clone into our ranks may be the last thing that he needs to snap and attack Maul, what then Gar?” Rook replies evenly.

“Then we will follow the true leader of Death Watch, a battle between the two of the will be the most defining way to see who is more powerful.” Saxon replies.

“We both know Maul is stronger, that’s not the issue. Kryze left because Maul is an outsider, a Zabrak. Aren’t you worried her thinking will start to fester in the remaining Mandalorians once Vizsla is killed off?” Rook asks curiously.

“Hey, Bo-Katan and her xenophobia isn’t my problem, true Mandalorians follow the strong, before we shut out borders anyone could be a Mando as long as they adhered to the code. I know warriors who haven’t even seen the planet who are more Mandalorian than some citizens now. If our people would die under a weakling rather than thrive with a ruler than that’s their choice, whether I’m the one that guns them down is completely up to them.” Saxon says as he runs a hand over his clean-shaven face, he’ll have the beginnings of another beard at the end of the day, his genetics have dictated it.

He’s debated just letting a beard grow out, but he cringes at the thought of a sweaty beard trapped under a helmet and he almost gags.

“You don’t think for a second that Maul will dump us for the next best thing once we can’t serve him any longer?” Rook asks and the question makes him pause.

It’s true that Maul and Savage aren’t Mandalorian, he isn’t even sure if he cares what happens to Mandalore as long as it gives him power. Maul may leave them for dead, it seems to be a theme among the Sith, but there’s no point in creating more unrest in an already cracked foundation.

The Zabrak and his brother are like puzzle cubes, seemingly simple on the outside, fitting neatly into the shapes they cast. With Savage being a mindless animal consumed by rage capable of massive feats of destruction and Maul being the conniving and unendingly cruel Sith master who wouldn’t hesitate to cut down whoever stood in his way.

But at a second glance they are probably the most complex men he’s ever met. Beneath the animalistic exterior there is something undeniably human in Savage’s eyes, something sorrowful and sometime he isn’t sure the rage is always directed outwards.

Maul is endless layers of deep emotional conflict. The need to prove himself runs deep but he also has a need to protect those who submit to him willingly, those who show him unwavering loyalty not for personal gain but because he is Maul, allows him to bestow a rare form of compassion. While he knows the man has a hard time expressing his emotions of desire and the intrinsic need to have people, nothing hides from nightmares and Saxon has slept with the man for long enough to know his nightmares a brutal and fear inducing.

Of course, he can never say the things he thinks outload, of course he can’t, but it definitely gives him a better perspective.

“No, I don’t think they will.” Saxon responds evenly before he slips into the shower and closes the door before Rook has a chance to question him further.

**Author's Note:**

> Thoughts? I love comments even though I never know how to reply to them.


End file.
